1. (1) A low-income customer demonstrates eligibility for Federal and Oregon Lifeline by application to the Commission on a Commission-approved form demonstrating compliance with this rule.

2. (2) To be eligible, the customer, one or more of the customer’s dependents or the customer’s household must:

   1. (a) Receive benefits from one of the following public assistance programs: Medicaid under Title XIX and XXI of the Social Security Act; Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program; Supplemental Security Income; Federal Public Housing Assistance (Section 8); or Veterans and Survivors Pension Benefit; or
   2. (b) Have income that is at or below 135 percent of the applicable Federal Poverty Guidelines for a household of that size.

3. (3) A low-income customer who resides on federally recognized Tribal lands is eligible for Oregon Lifeline if the customer, one or more of the customer’s dependents or the customer’s household:

   1. (a) Meets the requirements of section (2) of the rule; or
   2. (b) Receives benefits from one of the following Tribal-specific federal assistance programs: Bureau of Indian Affairs General Assistance; Tribally administered Temporary Assistance for Needy Families; Head Start (only those households meeting its income qualifying standard); or the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations.

4. (4) The Commission may require a low-income customer to submit documentation demonstrating that he or she qualifies under the program or income based eligibility requirements.

   1. (a) Acceptable documentation of program eligibility includes the current or prior year’s statement of benefits from a public assistance program, a notice or letter of participation in a public assistance program, program participation documents, or another official document demonstrating that the customer, one or more of the customer’s dependents or the customer’s household receives benefits from a qualifying assistance program.
   2. (b) Acceptable documentation of income eligibility includes the prior year’s state, federal, or Tribal tax return; current income statement from an employer or paycheck stub; a Social Security statement of benefits; a Veterans Administration statement of benefits; a retirement or pension statement of benefits; an Unemployment or Workers’ Compensation statement of benefit; federal or Tribal notice letter of participation in General Assistance; or a divorce decree, child support award, or other official document containing income information. If the customer presents documentation of income that does not cover a full year, such as current pay stubs, the customer must present the same type of documentation covering three consecutive months within the previous twelve months.
5. (5) The customer may be required to furnish his or her social security number and the social security number of the member of the customer’s household upon whom eligibility is based before Federal and Oregon Lifeline eligibility can be determined or verified. Failure to do so may result in denial of benefits.
6. (6) The customer must sign a written authorization on a Commission-approved form permitting the Commission to release necessary information to an Eligible Telecommunications Provider and, as necessary, to the following: Federal Communications Commission, Universal Service Administrative Company, Department of Human Services, and the applicant's personal representative or legal guardian.
7. (7) An applicant or customer may not use a post office box as his or her residential address. The Commission may accept a P.O. Box or General Delivery address as a billing address, but not a residential address.

8. (8) The Federal or Oregon Lifeline benefit is limited to one single line, or single line equivalent, per economic unit at the customer’s principal residence in Oregon.

   1. (a) If the Commission is unable to determine that an applicant and a current Federal or Oregon Lifeline customer are part of a separate household, the applicant must complete and submit to the Commission the Lifeline Household Worksheet.
   2. (b) The Commission may verify annually that the customer continues to be part of a separate household.
   3. (c) If the customer fails to respond within 30 days of the Commission’s attempts to verify that the customer continues to be part of a separate household, the Commission will notify the Eligible Telecommunications Provider to de-enroll the customer from the Federal and Oregon Lifeline program.
9. (9) The name of the Federal or Oregon Lifeline applicant must appear on the billing statement or account for the telecommunications service in order for that applicant to qualify for Federal or Oregon Lifeline benefits.
10. (10) The Commission may require an Eligible Telecommunications Provider to provide up to three months of Federal or Oregon Lifeline benefits credited to the customer’s account if the customer does not receive benefits after applying for benefits and demonstrating eligibility. The qualifying customer may be required to submit documentation demonstrating that he or she qualified under the program or income based eligibility requirements in section (2) or (3) of this rule.

11. (11) The Commission will verify a customer's continuing eligibility every 12 months, as measured from the customer’s Federal or Oregon Lifeline service initiation date.

    1. (a) The Commission will allow a customer 30 days following the date of the notice of termination or de-enrollment to demonstrate continued eligibility. A customer may be required to submit proof of continued eligibility to the Commission.
    2. (b) The Eligible Telecommunications Provider must de-enroll the customer from the Federal and Oregon Lifeline program within five business days of notice from the Commission that the customer is no longer eligible for the Federal and Oregon Lifeline program.
    3. (c) After the Commission determines that the customer is not eligible or no longer eligible, the customer may submit a written request for a hearing to appeal the determination as specified in the notice of determination.
    4. (d) At the hearing, the customer must provide to the Commission documentation demonstrating that he or she qualifies under the program or income based eligibility requirements listed in section (2) or (3) of this rule.
12. (12) If the Commission identifies that a customer or household is receiving duplicate support from more than one Eligible Telecommunications Provider, the Commission will attempt to contact the customer to determine the customer’s preferred provider and thereafter, based on the available information, select which Eligible Telecommunications Provider must de-enroll the customer.
13. (13) If a customer does not use the Federal or Oregon Lifeline supported service that the Eligible Telecommunications Provider offers at no charge per the usage requirements defined in 47 C.F.R. § 54 Subpart E (2016) for 30 consecutive days, the Eligible Telecommunications Provider must provide the customer 15 days' notice, using plain language, that the customer’s failure to use the Federal or Oregon Lifeline supported service within the 15-day notice period will result in de-enrollment from Federal or Oregon Lifeline program. If the customer uses the Federal or Oregon Lifeline supported service within the 15-day notice period, the Eligible Telecommunications Provider may not terminate the customer’s Federal or Oregon Lifeline supported service.
14. (14) When the customer switches to a different Eligible Telecommunications Provider, the customer must submit to the Commission an application for Federal or Oregon Lifeline benefits on a Commission-approved form.
15. (15) If, in a span of 30 days, the customer disconnects and reconnects service with the same Eligible Telecommunications Provider, the customer is not required to reapply for the Federal or Oregon Lifeline benefits.

Statutory/Other Authority

ORS 183, ORS 756, ORS 759 & 1987 OL Ch. 290

Statutes/Other Implemented

ORS 756.040, ORS 759.036 & 1987 OL Ch. 290

History

PUC 3-2026, amend filed 04/01/2026, effective 04/01/2026
PUC 7-2020, amend filed 12/30/2020, effective 12/30/2020
PUC 5-2017, f. & cert. ef. 5-31-17
PUC 7-2016(Temp), f. 11-22-16, cert. ef. 12-2-16 thru 5-30-17
PUC 7-2013, f. & cert. ef. 12-20-13
PUC 5-2013(Temp), f. & cert. ef. 6-28-13 thru 12-24-13
PUC 9-2011, f. & cert. ef. 10-4-11
PUC 12-2009, f. & cert. ef. 11-13-09
PUC 16-2004, f. & cert. ef. 12-1-04
PUC 19-2003, f. & cert. ef. 11-14-03
PUC 12-1999, f. & cert. ef. 11-18-99
PUC 18-1997, f. & cert. ef. 12-17-97
PUC 6-1997, f. & cert. ef. 1-10-97
PUC 6-1997, f. & ef. 1-10-97 (Order No. 97-005)
PUC 11-1995, f. & ef. 11-27-95 (Order No. 95-1217)
PUC 5-1992, f. & ef. 2-14-92 (Order No. 92-238)
PUC 9-1988, f. & cert. ef. 4-28-88 (Order No. 88-415)